Mausoleum



Nov. 23, 1937. V w. A. MARTIN 2,100,013

MAUSOLEUM Filed June ll, 1937 Elwi//liam A. Mmm

AT O EY Patented Nov. 23, 1937;

MAUsoLEUM William A. Martin, Trenton, Mo. Application June 11,1937, serial No. 147,662

11 claims. (ci z2- 7) v My invention relates to mausoleums and more particularly to burial vaults formed of 'concrete or similar material for preserving a corpse. Although numerous vaults, which include a dead air chamber above the casket compartment and which are covered with poured cement to complete sealing of the lcasket and dead air chambers, have been devised' for this purpose, those of which Iam aware do not embody pro, visions for positively preventing water, present in the poured cement, from passing downwardly into the casket chamber. While the amount of water necessary to mix the nal layer of sealing cement is not great, it is sufiicient to maintain the dead air and casket chambers in moistened condition throughout a relatively long period of time, particularly since it will be impossible for the water, after-passing into these chambers, to escape therefrom.

' When covers are mounted on vaults of this character, the bearing engagement therebetween is not always unifonn, which condition sometimes results in a. wobblinga'ction of the cover on the vault and cracking of the cover to detract from the appearance of the nished vault as well as the efliciency thereof.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to improve the bearing of the cover relative to the vault in such a manner that the bearing engagement thereof is uniformv and permits of necessary expansion and contraction, whereby the cover neither wobbles nor cracks, and yet remains removable so that water may be extruded from a sealing layer of poured cement.

It isa further important object of my invention to so construct a vault of this character that the water in the sealing cement can readily escape to the exterior vof the vault.

A further object of the invention is to provide separate sealed joints for the casket and. dead air. chambers to'further insure against seepage of moisture into the casket compartment.

In accomplishing these and other objects of my invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the .preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal central section through the vault illustrating the arrangement of the inside covers to producev independentlyr sealed casket and dead air chambers.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section through the upper portion of the vault, the cover member -being illustrated in disassembled relation tothe Vvault to show the ribs on the lower face of the Cover.

Fig. Bis a cross-section through the vault on the line 3-3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view particularly showing the manner of sealing the joints between the inside covers and the offset shoulders of thecontainers.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

I designates a vault or container vof reinforced waterproof concrete, or the like, embedded in earth 2 and which includes a bottom or floor 3, side walls t and end Walls 5. To adapt the vault for maintaining a casket in elevated condition above the floor thereof, a plurality of transverse bars 6 is preferably provided on the bottom wall 3.

The side and end walls are preferably interiorly offset at vertically spaced points relative to the floor 3 to produceV upwardly facing upper and lower peripheral shoulders l and 8 preferably spaced vertically andlaterally from each other and preferably located above the horizontal median line of the container.

A lower inside cover 9, preferably of arched formation and cast of reinforced concrete, or

similar material, is adapted to rest on the lower shoulder 8 of the vault to divide the lower portion of the container into a casket chamber I0,

and the upper outer edge of the cover is beveled,

erably arched with its side and end edges, comprising the end anges I5 and side flanges I 6,' diverging downwardly toward the inner wall faces of the container to seatv on the shoulder 1.

Handles or grips I8 may be cast on the upper surfaces of either or both the lower and upper inside covers to facilitate handling of the cover members.

Formed on the outer surface of the container preferably adjacent its upper peripheral edge in an upwardly facing seat or shoulder I9 for supporting an upper outside cover or top member 20 having a depending flange 2i adapted to seat on the shoulder I9.

As particularly illustrated in Fig. 4 and indicated at 22, the inner surface of the flange is spaced from the container, and the depending ange 2I is of sufcient height to reserve a slight clearance 23 between the upper edge of the container and the outside cover for a purpose'pres- `ently described.

The top cover is also preferably arched and cast thereon near one end thereof is a preferably elevated portion 24 for receiving an inscription plate 25, as in conventional practice.

A longitudinal rib 26 is preferably cast with the cover on the under face thereof, which rib has its ends 21 initiating in spaced relation to the end portions 28 of the depending flange 2l of the cover member to provide a space therebetween. The side faces 29 of the rib are downwardly and inwardly inclined and terminate in a bottom face 30 spaced fromV the top of the upper inside cover member I3 when the top cover is resting on the shoulder I9. A plurality of spaced transverse ribs 3l are also provided on the top cover member 20, which intersect the longitudinal rib. The transverse ribs 3| are preferably of the lsame shape as the rib 26 and have tapered side faces 32 terminating in bottom faces 33 which are preferably in the horizontal plane of the bottom face 30 of the rib 26.

y After placing the upper and lower inside covers on the respective anges 1 and 8, the portion of the container above the upper cover is filled with waterproof cement 34, or equivalent sealing material, and it is for the purpose of permitting escape of the water used in mixing the cement, which ordinarily rises to the upper surface of the body as the sealing material sets, that the cement is poured on the cover I3 to a common level with the upper edge of the container, the spaces 22 and 23 being provided between the outside cover and container for passing such water to the exterior of the vault.

To further insure ow 'of this water over the upper edges of the container, it is the purpose of the tapered ribs on the top cover to embed themselves in the sealing cement in such a manner that the body of sealing material is raised along its longitudinal median line as indicated at 35, and at spaced points transversely thereof as indicated at 36, whereby the sealing cement is sloped downwardly from such points of the vault to ward the outer edge of the container.

A suitable oleaginous substance, for example axle grease, is also preferably applied to the longitudinal and transverse ribs of the top' cover so that the cover does not stick in the sealing cement when it is applied thereto. The ribs form bearing grooves in the sealing layer of cement,

which are of a depth limited by the thickness thereof as well as engagement of the cover flange 2| on the vault shoulder I9 in such a manner that as the sealing cement hardens, a positive bearing is provided for the cover relative to the vault to prevent wobbling and cracking of the cover.

Assuming a vault member to be constructed as described, the order and procedure of assembly of the members for interment of a corpse is as follows:

After providing a suitable excavation for the container and lowering the container therein, the casket is let down to rest on the cross members 6.

Y The lower inside cover is then seated on the lower shoulder 8 and sealing compound is plastered around its margin to prevent penetration of moisture into lthe casket chamber. A layer of sealing compound may next bepositioned on the shoulder 'I and the upper inside cover mounted thereon to produce a sealed dead air chamber between the lower and upper inside covers.

The remaining portion of the container is then filled with waterproof cement or the like to a height preferably above the upper edge of the container. The top is mounted over the container and seated on the shoulder I9 at which time the longitudinal and transverse ribs embed themselves in the sealing cement, and the upper surface of the cement body is displaced adjacent the ribs in such a manner that it is raised and tapered toward each of the side walls of the container to direct water from the cement outwardly toward the container walls.

As the body of cement begins to set, water used in mixing the material will rise to the surface of the body of sealing cement and because of the rib induced curvature thereof flow down the sloping top thereof and over the uppe'r edge of the container through the clearance 23 and space 22.

Since the outside cover is merely seated onthe shoulder I9, moisture can escape outwardly through this joint into the earth. It will, however, be impossible for moisture to enter in like manner into the container, since the space between the sealing body and outside cover is filled with trapped air in such a manner that the lid comprises, in effect, an automatic sealing top for the container. l While I have shown the vault embedded in the earth, it is obvious that it is equally effective when mounted on or above the earth.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a vault of the character described, a cover adapted to be mounted in said vault, a layer of sealing material on said cover, a top for the vault, and means for displacing a portion of said layer to provide a convex surface therefor.

2. In a vault of the character described, a cover adapted to rest in the vault, a layer of sealing material on said cover, and a top having a de-l pending rib adapted to be imbedded in said layer for displacing a portion thereof.

3. In a vault of the character described, a cover adapted to rest in said vault, a layer of sealing material on said cover, and a top for the vault having a plurality of ribs adapted to be embedded in said layer for displacing portions thereof to provide convex surfaces therefor.

4. In a vault of the character described, a cover adapted to rest in said vault, a layer ofsealing material on said cover, a top for the vault, and

means on the top for displacing a portion of said layer to provide a convex surface therefor.

5. In a vault of the character described, a cover adapted to rest in said vault, a layer of sealing material on said cover, and a top for the vault having a longitudinal rib and a plurality of transverse ribs adapted to be embedded in said layer for displacing portions of said layer to provide convex surfaces therefor.

6. A vault including a container having substantially vertically disposed walls provided on their interior surfaces with spaced upwardly fac? ing shoulders, a lower inside cover resting on the lower shoulder to form a casket chamber, an upper inside cover on the upper shoulder forming a dead air chamber between said covers, a layer of sealing material on ,the upper cover, a top for the container, and means on the top adapted to be embedded in said-layer for displacing portions thereof.

7. A vault including a container having vertical walls provided on their interior surfaces with vertically spaced upwardly facing shoulders, a. 1

' shoulders, a cover resting on the lower shoulder,

a cover resting on the upper shoulder, sealing means between the covers and their respective shoulders, a layer of sealing material on the upper cover having its upper surface substantially level with the upper edge of said wall, and' a top for the container having longitudinal and transverse .ribs adapted to be embedded in said sealing material for displacing same to provide convex surfaces therefor whereby water issuing therefrom is directed to the exterior of the vault.

9. In a vault of the character described having substantially vertical walls provided on their interior surfaces with an upwardly facing shoulder, a cover resting on the shoulder, a layer of sealing material on the cover, and a top for the vault having a longitudinal rib intersected by a plurality of transverse ribs, said ribs having tapered faces adapted to displace portions of said material when the top is placed on the vault, whereby convex surfaces are provided in said material to direct water issuing from the upper face thereof to the exterior of the vault.

10. In a vault of the character described, a cover adapted to rest insaid vault, a layer of sealing material on said cover, a top for the vault,

and means on the top for displacing a portion of said layer to provide a convex surface therefor and a uniform bearing of the top relative to the vault, said means having an oleaginous substance applied thereto to prevent sticking of the cover in the sealing material.

11. In a vault of the character described having substantial vertical walls provided on their interior surfaces with an upwardly facing shoulder, a cover resting on the shoulder, a layer of sealing material on the cover, and a top for the vault vhaving a longitudinal rib intersected by a plurality of transverse ribs, said ribs having tapered faces adapted to displace portions of said material when the top is placed on the vault, whereby convex surfaces are provided in said material to direct Water issuing from the upper face thereof to the exterior of the vault, said ribs having an oleaginous substance applied thereto to prevent sticking of the top relative to the sealing material.

WILLIAM A. MARTIN. 

